recipes

(Family Features) If the kitchen is the heart of the home, a gift from your kitchen is truly a gift from the heart. For the holidays, treat everyone on your list to a heartfelt food gift.

Gather for a casual holiday open house and give one of your hand-made or hand-picked creations as party favors. Offer hot cider, cocoa or flavored coffee and serve a spectacular cupcake cake — the latest in show-stopping desserts. Order a holiday-themed cupcake creation from your neighborhood Wal-Mart for easy pickup that morning.

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Bark and Chocolate Thumbprint Cookie are just two easy-to-make treats, perfect for satisfying a sweet tooth. They’re a few favorite recipes from best-selling author of “Semi-Homemade Cooking,” Sandra Lee for holiday gifting. Not only is her complete collection of 200 recipes in the new Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade recipe card collection a great resource for holiday gift treats but it’s also the perfect gift. Packaged in a holiday red tin, the collection is available exclusively at Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club locations this holiday season.

There’s something for everyone on your list — friends, family, co-workers, neighbors, postal carrier, hairdresser, even the kids’ teachers. These gifts from your heart are sure to be appreciated.

Create Personalized Goodie Gifts

Gather the contents by collecting goods from the grocery aisles and housewares department of your favorite superstore:

Holiday sweets: Pre-wrapped and packaged cookies and candies in fun Snowman and Santa Towers are great to have on hand; simply hang a decorative homemade card or gift tag around the neck.

Help with happy hour: Line a pretty basket with a festive towel and fill with a bottle of sparkling juice or wine, two elegant wine glasses, a fragrant candle, a tin of fancy nuts and some stylish cocktail napkins.

Love you a latte: Give a bag of gourmet coffee and include a beautiful coffee mug — or pick up an already-packaged gift set.

Bring brunch for a bunch: Load up a festive gift box or basket with brunch favorites — try fresh oranges and pears, pancake mix, maple syrup, a loaf of cinnamon or banana nut bread, plus an assortment of jams and spreader knives with holiday handles.

Time for some reel fun: For the film buff, include microwave movie popcorn, king-sized candy bars, a few cans of soda and the latest DVD releases, in a large plastic snack bowl.